Onychognathus tenuirostris
The Slender-billed Starling (Onychognathus tenuirostris) is a strikingly elegant member of the Sturnidae family, measuring 25-29 cm in length and weighing between 80-100 grams. Its plumage is a glossy, iridescent black, particularly noticeable in good light, contrasting beautifully with the conspicuous rufous-chestnut primaries that are most visible during flight. The species' most distinctive feature, and the origin of its name, is its long, slender, and distinctly decurved black bill, perfe...
This species primarily inhabits highland rocky terrain, including cliffs, gorges, and escarpments, often bordering montane forests or open woodlands. It typically occurs at elevations ranging from 1,500 to 4,000 meters above sea level.
Its diet is omnivorous, consisting largely of insects, particularly larvae, beetles, and ants, supplemented by a wide variety of fruits, berries, and nectar. Foraging involves probing crevices with its specialized bill, gleaning from vegetation, and occasionally aerial hawking.
The Slender-billed Starling is a highly social and diurnal species, often forming large, sometimes mixed-species, flocks outside the breeding season that communally roost on cliff faces. Its foraging strategy is characterized by an agile probing technique, using its specialized decurved bill to e...
The Slender-billed Starling is endemic to the high-altitude regions of eastern Africa, boasting a relatively restricted but stable geographic distribution. Its primary range encompasses the highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea, extending southwards through parts of South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, and in...
Least Concern
- The Slender-billed Starling's distinctive, decurved bill is a specialized tool, perfectly adapted for probing deep into rock crevices and tree bark to extract insects and larvae. - These agile birds are often observed hanging upside down or clinging to vertical surfaces while foraging, demonstr...